Bark press



Jan. 15, 1963 E. cowAN ETAL BARK PRESSl 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 25, 1960 INVENToRs f. CowAN B CowAN nef/f Jan. 15, 1963 E. cowAN ETAL BARK PRESS Filed Feb. 25, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 /NvaNroRs E. CowAN CowAN Jan. l5, 1963 EfcowAN ErAL 3,073,239

, BARK PRESS v l Filed Feb. 25, 1960 l s sheets-sheet s l: J: 7 1 IEI'E' /NvfNoRs Cow'AN Cov/AN 3,073,239 BARK PRESS Elijah Cowan and Ben Cowan, both of 5460 katrieia Ave., Montreal, Quebec, Canada Filed Feb. 25, 196e, Ser. No. 10,910 2 Claims. (Cl. 16d-179) This invention relates to bark presses and particularly to bark presses in which the bark is fed into an elongated trough and is subjected to pressure therein by a pivoted beam for the purpose of extracting the moisture from the bark, and in which the feeding and pressing operations are timed to follow each other automatically.

The invention consists essentially in a bark press in which the bark pressinfI compartment is an elongated trough having fiat side and bottom perforated walls and an open top, together with a flat press beam pivoted above and at one and of the trough while the other end of the press gbeam is pivotally secured to a piston and cylinder device adapted to pull the press beam down into the trough, and means to feed the bark into the trough against the pressure of the press beam.

The object of the invention is to provide a bark press in which the steps of feeding the bark into the press, pressing the bark and discharging the pressed bark from the press are timed to follow each other automatically.

A further object of the invention isto provide a more efficient and less costly bark press.

A further object of the invention is to provide a bark press having a minimum of moving parts and which consumes a minimum of power.

A further object of the invention is to provide a bark press which can be readily opened up for inspection and cleaning purposes.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed specication and the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE l is a vertical longitudinal section of the bark press and showing by chain dotted lines the position taken up by the press beam during the pressing operation.

`FIGURE 2 is a plan View of the bark press.

FIGURE 3 is a vertical transverse section of the bark press taken on the line 3 3 of FIGURE 1.

FGURE 4 is a vertical transverse section of the bark press taken on the line f-4 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged vertical section of a portion of the feed hopper showing one of the shear knives.

`FIGURE 6 is an enlarged vertical section of a portion of the feed hopper and feed plunger and showing the shear knife mounted on the plunger.

FIGURE 7 is an outline plan View of an alternative form of the bark press in which two press beams `are employed.

FIG. 8 is an outline plan view showing the pressing chamber walls flared outwardly.

Referring to the drawings and particularly to FIG- URES l to 6. The bed of the bark'press is formed of a pair of spaced apart I beams 5 extending longitudinally of the machine and supported on the base plate 6 which, in turn, is supported on the top of the concrete pad 7. The two I beams S are joined together by tie plates 8 at spaced intervals `along the length of the machine. The concrete pad 7 is provided with a water receiving trough 9 set at an angle and leading down to the water drain 10. The base plate 6 has a longitudinal slot 11 cut out the same width as the water receiving trough 9 to allow water to pass down to the drain liti. A splash plate da directs drainage water away from the conveyorcompartment into the trough 9.

The bark press proper is mounted on top of the pair of I beams 5 and consists of la trough 12 comprising a flat bottom wall plate 13 and a pair of side wall plates 3,073,239 Patented Jan. 15, 1953 14. These walls` 13 and 14 have the perforations 15 to allow the water pressed from the bark to escape out of the trough. The perforations 15 in the bottom wall plate 13 allow water to escape directly downwards into the water receiving trough 9 while the apertures 16 through the bottom wall plate 13 and the inner top flanges 17 of the beams 5 allow the water escaping through the perforations 15 in the side walls 14 to pass down into the trough 9. The sides of the trough may be dared either from top to bottom and/ or in the direction of travel of .the bark. This relieves pressure of the bark in the sides of the chamber and reduces the friction of the bark plug on the containing sides.

The top of the trough 12 is closed olf at the right hand end by the plate 18 to form a housing 19 for the plunger 2d which has a closed end wall 21 facing into the trough 12. The plunger 2t) is directly coupled to the piston rod 22 of the piston and cylinder device 23.

Immediately forward of the plunger 29 in its withdrawn position in the housing 19, is the bark feed hopper 24 communicating directly with the interior of the trough 12.

A shear knife 25 is mounted transversely across the forward lower edge of the feed hopper 24 and a complimentary shear knife 26 is mounted transversely across the top edge of the wall 21 of the plunger 20. The top horizontal plane of the knife 26 is adapted, when the plunger 2l) is moved forward in the trough 12, to slide under the knife 25 and in its movement shear through the bark filling the feed hopper 2d.

A bark press beam 27 of hollow rectangular section is reinforced bythe transverse plates 28 and is pivoted at 29 at its end adjacent the feed hopper 24 by the pivot pin 30 so that when the beam 27 is in a horizontal position it lies parallel with and immediately above the trough 1.2 with the bottom surface 27a of the beam being in the same horizontal plane as the top edge of the trough side walls 14. The beam 27 is only slightly less in width than the width of the trough 12 and closes off the open top of the trough when horizontally disposed and fits into the trough when moved downwards -about the pivot pin 36. The vbeam 27 is supported at its end opposite its pivot 29 by the piston rod 31 which is pivotally secured to the beam Z7 by the pivot pin 32. The piston rod 31 is reciprocated by means of the piston and cylinder device 33 which, in turn, is pivotally mounted in the bracket 34. A bark stop bracket 35 is mounted on the under side 27a of the press beam 27 and extends the full width of the beam.

The bottom plate 13 of the trough 12 is cut open at 36 at a position remote from the hopper 24 to provide an aperture through which the pressed bark in the trough 12 can be discharged down on to the conveyor belt 37 which is shown as running transversely of the machine to discharge the bark to the side of the machine.

When the piston rod 31 is drawn down by the piston and cylinder device 33, the press beam 27 is pivoted about its pivot pin 39 into the position shown in chain dot lines in FIGURE l. In this position the bark stop bracket 35 is located on the beam 27 just immediately forward of the bark discharge aperture 36 and separates the interior ofthe trough 12 from the discharge opening 36.

A suitable housing 38 encloses the press beam 27 and that portion of the piston rod 31 and piston and cylinder device 33 projecting above the l beams 5.

In FIGURE 8 the side walls 14a of the trough 12 are shown flared outwardly in the direction of travel of the bark.

An alernative form of the bark press is shown diagrammatically in FIGURE 7 in which two press beams 39 and 40 are employed operating in a horizontal plane. These two press beams 39 and 40 are pivoted at 41 in spaced apart relationship with their inward facing walls 39a and 40a forming extension side walls of the trough 42, when the beams 39 and 40 are withdrawn and disposed parallel with each other, as shown in full lines in FIGURE 7. The press beams 39 and 40 are connected to the piston and cylinder devices 43 and 44 and these piston and cylinder devices -43 and 44 are synchronized to operate together and move the beams 39 and 40 into the position shown in chain dot lines in FIGURE 7 so that the inner yfacing walls 39a and 40a reduce the outer end of the trough 42 to a Wedge shape. A plunger 45 operated by the piston and cylinder device 46 forces the bark fed into the trough 42 through the feed hopper 47, forwardly against-the beams 39 and 4d. Otherwise the operation of the bark press disclosed in FIGURE 7 is the same as that disclosed in FIGURES l and 2.

In the operation of the above described bark presses, that portion of the trough 12 immediately forward of the plunger 2i) and under the feed hopper 24 is lled with bark. The press beam 27 is in the angular position shown in chain dotted lines in FIGURE l. The plunger 2t) is then moved forward, pushing the bark ahead of it and forming the bark into a dense plug. As the plunger moves forward it trips a switch, not shown, raising press beam 27 to its horizontal position. As the plunger 2i? advances, it forces the new plug of bark into the pressing trough or chamber 12 and pushes out a corresponding amount of pressed bark at the opposite end, which drops through the discharge opening 36 on to the conveyor 37 and is removed. At the end of the stroke, the plunger 2d trips another switch, not shown, and the press beam 27 moves down under pressure, compressing the bark inthe chamber 12 -and removing water from the bark during the period the plunger 26 retracts to its extreme reverse position, a new charge of bark drops down from the feed hopper 24 and the cycle is ready to start again.

The operation of the press is thus automatically adjusted to the amount of feed. If a large amount of bark is fed to the press it passes through quickly. If a small amount is fed, it remains in the press longer and more water is removed. Removal of water is progressive as the bark travels from the inlet to the discharge end and each particle of bark is subjected to several pressings.

Should a large piece of wood be fed in with the bark and become lodged across the press chamber opening, the shear knife 26 operating with the knife 25 will cut the wood into two pieces small enough to pass through the pressing chamber.

The plunger 20 is again advanced in the trough 12 pushing ahead of it another quantity of bark from the hopper 24 and the compressed bark in the trough 12. The forward portion of the compressed bark then falls through the discharge opening 36 and on to the conveyor belt 37. When the plunger 20 reaches the forward end of its stroke, high pressure oil is admitted to the top of the cylinder and piston device 33 to pull the press beam 27 down. This applies pressure on the bark in the trough 12, forcing the water out of the bark, the water escaping through the apertures 1S in the side and bottom walls 13 and 14 of the trough 12 to be gathered in the trough 9 and directed to the drain 1G. At the same time that portion of the press beam 27 between the piston and cylinder device 33 and the end of the press chamber forces any loose dry bark down through the aperture 36 on to the conveyor belt.

The press beam 27 continues to move downwards until it reaches bottom position in the trough 12 or the pres- -sure in the piston and cylinder device 33 has reached its designed maximum. At the same time the plunger 20 is moved back to its original starting position ready for 4 the next cycle of operation of feeding and pressing of the bark.

It has not been though necessary to show the control uid lines to the piston and cylinder devices 23 and 33 or the timing means to cycle their operation yas such are well known and common elements in general use.

The operation of the alternative for-m of bark press shown in FIGURE 7 is substantially the same as that described above except that two press beams are used instead of one to form a tapered bark compressing charnber and with the two piston and cylinder devices 43 and 44 being synchronized to move towards each other to the position shown in chain dot lines and press the bark.

With a bark press constructed as above described and operating automatically to feed, press and discharge the bark, large quantities of bark can be dehydrated in a minimum of time and with a minimum consumption of power. In both examples the water pressed out of the bark is discharged downwards and clear of the dehydrated bark.

What we claim is:

1. In a bark press, a bark pressing chamber in the form of an elongated trough having a `bark inlet at one end and a bark discharge opening at its end opposite from the bark inlet, the said pressing chamber having perforated side and bottom walls and a top wall forming a press beam, the said top wall being pivotally mounted adjacent the bark inlet of the chamber and movable into and out of said chamber to exert a pressing action on the bark contained within the chamber, a stop bracket mounted on the under side of said press beam, the said stop bracket being located forwardly of and separating the said bark discharge opening from the said trough when the said press beam is lowered into said trough, and bark press means adapted to feed a plug of `bark into the said chamber from the bark inlet and thereby to progressively feed the pressed bark through the chamber towards the bark discharge opening after withdrawal of said press beam from said pressing chamber at the end of each pressing operation of the press beam.

2. In a bark press, a bark pressing chamber in the form of -an elongated trough having a bark inlet at one end and a bark discharge opening at its end opposite from the bark inlet, the said pressing chamber having perforated side and bottom walls and a top wall forming a press beam, the said side walls being ared outwardly from top to bottom and in the direction towards the bark discharge opening, the said top wall being pivotally mounted adjacent the bark inlet of the chamber and ymovable into and out of said chamber to exert a pressing action on the bark contained within the chamber, and bark feed means ladapted to feed `a plug of bark into the said chamber from the bark inlet and thereby to progressively feed the pressed bark through the chamber towards the bark discharge opening after withdrawal of the said press beam from said pressing chamber at the end of each pressing operation of the press beam.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 4,682 Stillman Aug. 8, 1846 241,024 Kieser May 3, 1881 250,979 Russell Dec. 13, 1881 1,602,626 Power Oct. 12, 1926 1,966,378 Dinzl July 10, 1934 v2,605,657 Lindemann et al. Aug. 5, 1952 2,616,312 Jones et al Nov. 4, 1952 2,932,247 Thompson Apr. 12, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 266,903 Germany Nov. l, 1913 

1. IN A BARK PRESS, A BARK PRESSING CHAMBER IN THE FORM OF AN ELONGATED TROUGH HAVING A BARK INLET AT ONE END AND A BARK DISCHARGE OPENING AT ITS END OPPOSITE FROM THE BARK INLET THE SAID PRESSING CHAMBER HAVING PERFORATED SIDE AND BOTTOM WALLS AND A TOP WALL FORMING A PRESS BEAM, THE SAID TOP WALL BEING PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ADJACENT THE BARK INLET OF THE CHAMBER AND MOVABLE INTO AND OUT OF SAID CHAMBER TO EXERT A PRESSING ACTION ON THE BARK CONTAINED WITHIN THE CHAMBER, A STOP BRACKET MOUNTED ON THE UNDER SIDE OF SAID PRESS BEAM, THE SAID STOP BRACKET BEING LOCATED FORWARDLY OF AND SEPARATING THE SAID BARK DISCHARGE OPENING FROM THE SAID TROUGH WHEN THE SAID PRESS BEAM IS LOWERED INTO SAID TROUGH, AND BARK PRESS MEANS ADAPTED TO FEED A PLUG OF BARK INTO THE SAID CHAMBER FROM THE BARK INLET AND THEREBY TO PROGRESSIVELY FEED THE PRESSED BARK THROUGH THE CHAMBER TOWARDS THE BARK DISCHARGE OPENING AFTER WITHDRAWAL OF SAID PRESS BEAM FROM SAID PRESSING CHAMBER AT THE END OF EACH PRESSING OPERATION OF THE PRESS BEAM. 